


Forethought

by Shattered_Across_Time



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Again kind of?, Angst, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Female Reader, Fluff, Just soul, Mages, Magic, Post-Undertale Genocide Route, Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader is a mage, Reader-Insert, Romance, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Tragedy, kind of?, lots of lore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-19 16:55:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16538531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shattered_Across_Time/pseuds/Shattered_Across_Time
Summary: You are Justice, the direct descendant of the ancient Keeper of Justice- the same one who betrayed her own race in order to stop the injustices thrusted upon the monster race. As such, you have dedicated yourself to the Keeper order and to helping the scientists find a way to destroy the barrier.After a particularly rainy day at the top of Mt. Ebott, you get lost in the woods and somehow end up hundreds feet below and in a meadow of golden flowers. While there, you befriend a kind but lonely goat monster, a skeleton keeping secrets and his dear brother, the loud and abrash head of the royal guard, the nerdy royal scientist, and a certain bartender who makes your soul sing.If only they hadn’t returned.





	1. A Solemn Promise

Snow fell from the sky in gentle flakes, a beautiful storm of white descending on the crying earth. A light breeze carried the promise of change, magic thick in the air and causing a soft  _thum_  of power. The sun remained behind the heavy clouds, casting the earth into what looked like an eternal shadow.

A bittersweet scenery for a bitter day.

The Keeper of Justice paused in her marching to admire the day; it could very well be the last one where she ever saw snow. Or  _saw_  period. Soldiers and mages alike paid her little mind as they continued up the steep mountain trail.

Snowflakes gently caressed her cheeks and collected in her hood, soaking into the thick fur and into her hair. The breeze tickled at her skin and the thin material of her garb proved to be no match for the cold. She let out a resigned sigh and leaned heavily against her staff, breath coming out as a smokey wisp.

A deep pain ached at her side and she gingerly pressed her hand against the old wound. No matter how much magic or medicine had been poured into it, the damn thing never healed. Just another casualty of war, the Keeper of Justice would mutter to herself.

"'Tis too beautiful of a day for what is to come," the Keeper of Integrity commented as she went to stand beside her friend and leader. The Justice hummed in agreement, sparing her friend a brief glance. "Are you ready, Justice?"

"Can we ever be ready for an end of an era?" Justice sighed and looked away, "you know… they will talk about this moment for centuries to come."

The Integrity grinned, "and how shall they describe us? Shall we be pained as the villians promising the destruction of the human race or shall we be heroes bringing hope of a better tomorrow?"

"How about mages just doing what they know is right?" The Keeper of Kindness suggested as he rounded the corner and went to stand beside his fellow Keepers. "Though I suppose that has less of a ring to it. I rather like being remembered as the hero I am."

"Hush now, Kindness, your ego is showing," the bold laugh of the Keeper of Determination rang through the now nearly empty mountain trail. He came with the other Keepers- Perseverance, Bravery, and Patience- and they moved to make a small circle. "Keep that up and Patience will never accept your courtship!:

Kindness shot him a mock-hurt look but spared Patience a sly glance to gauge for a response or reaction. Needless to say, they gave no reaction though, if Justice was correct, their lips may have twitched just a tad.

"Keepers! Hurry up!" The angered snarl of the General caught their attention and they all turned to see the man glaring at them. His presteen suit fluttered in the breeze, the faint trace of his dark soul flickering behind the blues and greys of the fabric. Justice sent her own glare back but started up the trail with the others beside her.

"These non-mages are dreadfully annoying," the Keeper of Perseverance muttered in her thick accent. "Not only do they revel in the pain inflicted upon their enemies but they command others to do their bidding."

"Perhaps they do, Perseverance, but they cannot force us," Justice came to a stop and turned to her fellow keepers with a bittersweet smile. "This may be the last chance I get to say this so… Thank you for agreeing to this plan. By doing this, we are sentencing ourselves to an afterlife of hate and mockery yet you walk this path with no complaints."

"Your judgment has never failed us once, Justice. We would agree to this plan a thousand more times if we had to," the Keeper of Bravery spoke up. The other Keepers nodded their heads in agreement, sending her their own smiles before they were forced up the mountain trail once again.

As they neared their destination, they could see all the soldiers standing to attention. They were dressed in their best armor, weapons sharp and gleaming against the bright flames the mages conjured. The mages stood in their own separate rows, faces down and impassive at the scene about to unfold in front of them.

Standing at the very end of the Soldiers and Mages were the beings the Keepers were sent to deal with: Monsters.

Against the dark entrance of the hidden cave of Mt. Ebott, stood King Asgore and Queen Toriel with two of their last surviving generals, Grillby and Gaster. Their figures were shadowed by the walls of the cave and even the fire-general's constant flames proved to be no match for the darkness. Justice kept her face impassive as she lead her Keepers past the rows of humans, her eyes staring straight ahead but refusing to look at the obvious despair written on the monarchs' faces.

When they finally got to the end, the Keepers- sans Integrity and Justice- moved to make a half-circle around the entrance of the cave. One-by-one, they dropped to one knee, bowed their head, and used one hand to keep their staves perfectly upright. Integrity took her spot in the very center of the half-circle and Justice stood just behind her.

Justice bowed her head; she couldn't bear to look at Asgore and Toriel in the eyes let alone even look at Gaster's and Grillby's forms. Just a year ago, she had called the King and Queen her friends. She would spend every Friday at their palace, exciting the newlyweds with her stories of parenthood and enjoying a nice cup of tea. Afterward, she would visit Gaster in his labs before dragging him to Grillby's inn to pester him and continue the easy rivalry the two shared.

And now… Now she was sentencing them to something worse than death.

It was silent. The mages stopped shifting and the soldiers stopped murmuring as Integrity took a step forward. Her eyes were cold and absent of emotion as she calmly looked around at the monsters, looking them each in the eye before she began to speak,

"As the Keeper of Integrity, I shall be the judge. King Asgore and Queen Toriel Dreemurr, you will step forward to face judgment." The couple spared each other one resigned stare before they took a small step forward. "You shall be judged for every life you have taken, for every village you have pillaged, and for every crime you have committed. Due to the severity and length of your crimes, we cannot give a cohesive list."

Justice clenched her eyes shut and turned her face away as she heard Toriel take in a quick breath followed by a soft sob. "As such, I give you your sentence: eternal imprisonment! Who shall second the sentence?"

"I, the Keeper of Patience, second the aforementioned sentence," their voice rang through the clearing. The mages remained silent though it was hard to ignore the tears streaming down most of their faces while the soldiers whispered among themselves, opinions varying from upset to amused. Some of their comments made Justice sick to her stomach.

"Imprisonment? They should all be executed! The Keepers are being much too lenient!"

"Finally!"

"Those bastards deserve what's coming to them!"

"Why don't we just kill them?"

"Those mages should join them! They're just as bad!"

"I hope they starve-"

"SILENCE," Justice snarled as she snapped toward the soldiers, eyes narrowed dangerously and wisps of yellow magic radiating off her form. The silence that met her had her sneering before she released her pent up magic and turned to Integrity. Integrity looked at her with sympathy, giving her a brief nod before she returned her attention to the staring monsters.

"Very well. For as long as the monster race lives on, they shall never see the sky! Never again will they gaze upon the endless stars, bathe in the sunlight, or smell the ocean's tide. You are forever confined within the mountains of Ebott!

"Keeper of Justice, step forward."

Justice traded places with Integrity, standing only a few feet away from those she once called her closest friends. Taking a shaky breath, she brought her eyes up to meet those of the King's and Queen's. To her astonishment, she saw her own pain reflected in their eyes but not the hate and anger she expected. They just looked… sad.

Her eyes glanced over to Gaster and she saw that he had his back turned; could he not bear to look at the sky any longer or could he not bear to look at her? Did he hate her that much? She risked a glance to Grillby but she looked away almost as soon as she did; his face was unreadable as always. Justice could only imagine he hated her as well- she would.

"As the Keeper of Justice, I shall carry out the sentence," her voice rang loud and true. With one last glance to the sky, she summoned her soul and watched as a bright yellow heart emerged from her chest. The echo of five staffs slamming into the ground rang in her ears before she felt the magic of the other Keepers merge with her own and she could only imagine that they brought out their souls.

Justice cupped her soul in one hand and extend her arm toward the monsters. She felt her magic gather in the center of her palm and felt the magic of the others travel up her body and down her arm to where the magic gathered. The snow began to fall harder and the wind picked up speed, dark and loud thunder echoing in the background.

Sending out a pulse of energy, she sent her soul forward and watched as the force of her magic pushed the monsters completely into the cave and a hazy barrier formed at the entrance. Just as her magic began to pulse with power, she felt the others around her stand up and felt Kindness, Bravery, and Perseverance leave the half-circle.

The glowing green of Kindness' shield covered the group of mages while Bravery's swords emerged from the snow and perseverance's poisoned strings flicked to life. The amused murmurings of the soldiers changed to confusion and in that moment, she knew there was no turning back.

As she brought her arm up to meet the other, she changed the spell. Her magic was loud and demanding now, humming and buzzing at the sudden increase of power. A bright rainbow of colored magic radiated off her form, snapping and twisting in the air.

Without a moment to lose, she began to speak,

"An injustice has been cast upon the monster race and we, the Keepers of Magic, shall make it right! I, the Keeper of Justice, shall be your judge. You will be judged for every life you have saved, for every friend you have made, and for every human you have spared. Due to the sheer volume of your kindness, we cannot give a cohesive list!"

The murmurings of the soldiers turned into full shouting and Justice could hear Bravery Perseverance begin the battle against the attacking soldiers.

They didn't have much time left.

"As such, I give you your sentence: life!" Justice briefly met Asgore's and Toriel's eyes and she could see the shock reflected in them both. "Who shall second my judgment?"

"I, the Keeper of Kindness, second your aforementioned sentence, blah, blah, blah," he gritted out, pouring more and more magic into his shield. "Please hurry up, Justice!"

Justice could only nod her head before she pushed more magic than she ever had into a spell, quick, mumbled words leaving her lips. She could feel every ounce of magic leave her being and her soul cried out in pain as magic left its creation. Her body burned and shook and it felt as if her body was going to shatter.

She knew what was about to happen.

It had been her last time seeing snow.

"Justice, do not throw your life away for us!" Justice heard Toriel's shout and she chuckled; just like her to be more worried about her friends than herself. She risked one last glance up and she could see Toriel had one clawed hand outstretched as she pleaded for her to stop. Asgore stood beside her, holding the shaking Queen up. Grillby looked alarmed and even Gaster had turned around in shock. " _Vivienne_ , please!"

"I am sorry, old friend," Justice shook her heads, tears falling from her now glowing and wispy eyes. "But I promise you this: you  _will_  be free!"

Bravery's soul shattered.

Perseverance followed soon after.

Patience's magic left her strain as did Determination's, both of them leaving to take the other's places. Only Integrity's magic remained and she amped up her power until only a small sliver of yellow magic could be seen past the dark blue.

"Seven human souls! Just as seven human souls created this barrier, seven human souls shall destroy it. With every human that falls down, you shall take their soul and in time, you will be free. Only then will true justice be obtained!"

With a final pulse of the magic, a deafening crack echoed through the clearing and a burning explosion of light blinded them all. The mountain cracked under their feet while thunder roared in the sky, wind picking up speed and tearing rocks in its rage.

With the light, came a deafening silence among the human soldiers and mages. Slowly, the light faded away and they were met with the sight of a pulsing barrier blocking the entrance of the mountain cave. Through the sudden increase of snowfall, the humans could just barely make out the fallen forms of the Keepers.

Bravery laid in a pool of her own blood with Perseverance by her side.

Patience was cradled in Kindness' arms.

Determination gazed blankly at the sky with Integrity curled into his side.

Only Justice still stood, her form still and arms still outstretched. There was no movement coming from her save for the gentle flutter of her cloak. A roar of anger echoed through the clearing as the general pushed his way through the stunned soldiers and marched toward the last Keeper.

"You traitor!" The words scarcely left his lips when his fingers met her shoulder and caused her entire body to dissolve into dust. He jerked back in shock, watching as her entire body was lost to the wind and the only thing that remained was her soul.

The still bright yellow soul of Justice floated weakly, pulsing softly and seeming to shake. One of the mages darted forward quickly, enclosing the soul in a bubble. Their hands shook as they held the soul, eyes wild and terrified.

Looking from the dust coating his hands to the bubbled soul, the general turned his attention to the barrier. Spreading from one corner to the next, the shimmering white barrier stood out sharply against the dull grey and brown of the mountain. The new residents of the mountain could not be seen through the barrier; they were as lost to them as they were.

What had they done?


	2. The Mountain Trail

_ Your world was consumed in darkness. _

 

_ You were floating; weightless and empty in the endless sea of black. Inky shadows caressed your skin, twisting and coiling around your body and through your hair. A soft breeze tickled at your cheeks, bringing with it both the sound of a crackling fire and the scent of something distinctly warm. _

 

_ The calm before the storm. _

 

_ A red glow slowly started to appear at the edge of your vision and you turned to look at it curiously. Where it came from, you had no idea, but with the light came a soft and almost soothing song. The tune sounded sweet in your ears and you couldn’t help but hum along with the melody. Just as you started to form lyrics, the music suddenly turned dark and sour. _

 

_ Your eyes snapped back to the glow and you saw that the shadows were fighting against the red light. It was a losing battle; as fierce as the shadows fought, they proved to be no match for the light. The shadows slowly started to retreat, fleeing from the glow and seeming to unwind from your being. _

 

_ Suddenly, you were no longer floating- no longer weightless. _

 

_ The glow was no longer in the distance; it was inches away from you. Taking a step back, you watched as the red light slowly began to take a shape, shifting and molding until it decided on a form. _

 

_ A red heart. _

 

_ Your eyes narrowed and the world was suddenly pained in color. You were standing in the center of a dark cavern, jagged cave walls surrounding you and bright cyan crystals acting as stars above you. There was a terrible wind, biting at your exposed skin and howling in your ears. And in front of you stood the silhouette of a person- of a child. _

 

_ Their features were hidden within the shadows and the only thing you could make out was their pointed knife and maniacal grin. A sudden wave of pure hatred and rage raced through you and you dropped into a defensive crouch. In a wave of magic, a too-large bow appeared in your hands and a glowing heart was yanked from within you. _

 

_ The figure wasted no time in lunging at you but you were quick enough to slip past them and spring away. Turning sharply, you aimed your bow and released an arrow of magic. You didn’t wait to see if the arrow hit home before you fired again and again, arrows flying from your bow and from all behind you. But as fast as you fired and as accurate as you were, none of your arrows made contact. The silhouette simply dodged them as if they had seen the attack before, their mad laughter echoing in your ears. _

 

_ With each dodge, they got closer and closer to your being and soon they were within striking distance. A snarl left your lips as the bow in your hands phased into a large arrow and you lashed out. Just as before, they dodged and you barely managed to sidestep their attack.  _

 

_ The fight was over as quickly as it started. _

 

_ You had pivoted on your foot and went to strike them when you felt something sharp and cold sink into your belly. _

 

_ A gasp left your lips and you were filled with an overwhelming sense of fear and pain, the arrow phasing from existence as you pressed your hands against the wound. Black ink-like liquid slipped through your fingers and you cried out as the world around you grew blurry, your balance shaken and lungs struggling. The heart that had been following your every movement began to shake, cracks starting to cover the smooth surface. _

 

_ “In the end, even you couldn’t stop me; some Justice you are. What a pity.”  _

 

_ Bored, the silhouette turned from you and began to strut away, pushing forward with an excitement to their step that disgusted you. You wanted to give chase- to stop them!- but you barely had the strength to keep from falling, your body too weak and your heart too hurt. _

 

_ You wanted to give up- wanted to let your soul just shatter into a million pieces! _

 

_ But as soon as your soul threatened to do just that, you felt impossibly warm fingers entwine with your own and you paused. Looking up, you saw that someone had taken your hands in theirs but you couldn’t make out any of their features. They were engulfed and almost made out of the shadows that had protected you before, smoking and twisting against your skin. Yet you could feel that they were warm and gentle and smelt of the old fires your mother used to start for you and- _

 

_ “You can’t leave me now!” _

 

_ The shadows started to wrap around you once more, burying into your hair and sinking against your skin. Smokey fire danced before your eyes and you found solace in the gentle flames. _

 

_ You felt… Safe. _

 

_ But as soon as you did, it was all taken away. With a violent flourish, the shadows were ripped from your body and you head a loud crack of shock echo through the cavern. You screamed, jumping forward with your hand outstretched toward them but just as soon as you brushed their fingers, they were pulled even further from your grasp. _

 

_ You gritted your teeth, everything was starting to become too much! The pain in your stomach grew and the black ink was starting to drip from your very pores. Smoke burned your lungs, angry coughs tearing from your throat with every breath you took. Your eyes burned and ears rang; it was simply too much! _

 

_ “Breath,” you whispered to yourself, struggling to take another step forward,” breath…” _

 

**_Just._ **

 

**_Keep_ **

 

**_Breathing._ **

 

Your eyes snapped open.

 

You shot up with a loud gasp, eyes wet and frantic as you searched every shadow for the silhouette that had just mocked your vision. Instead, you were greeted by the sight of familiar blue walls and your quivering soul. A bead of sweat rolled down your cheek and your heart beated erratically in your chest, mind racing as you fought your fight or flight response. Slowly but surely, you began to relax; it had just been a bad dream.

 

A nightmare.

 

The same vivid images had haunted your dreams for the past month, pouncing on you when you had least expected it. Integrity would have called it a vision but you were too sensible of a mage to call it such a thing. It was just a dream brought on by stress or an overactive imagination- nothing to get worked up over.

 

Once you had reassured yourself that the nightmare had been just that, all you wanted to do was sink back into your warm blankets but as soon as you glanced at your clock, you cringed. Sentry duty started in a little over an hour and if you didn't get up now, you were going to be late. And if you ended up late again, Perseverance and Bravery were going to kick your ass.

 

You did your best to stifle a groan as you rose to your feet, sore back protesting at the sudden movement. Your soul, now calm, floated just in front of your chest and you quickly commanded it back to its place. A sudden knock at your front door startled you and your mind immediately raced back to your nightmare.

 

_ ‘It was just a dream,’ _ you told yourself and went to open the door. Even after your thought, you still found your body tense and prepared, a spell already selected in your mind. But as soon as you saw who was behind the door, your whole body relaxed and you nearly let out a sigh of relief.

 

“You’re already up? Color me impressed,” the familiar drawl reached your ears and you looked up to meet the cobalt eyes of your teammate and best friend. “Maybe we finally won’t be late!”

 

“Oh stop exaggerating, Integrity,” you playfully rolled your eyes and let them enter. “I don’t make us late  _ every _ day!”

 

“You’re right; today, we just  _ might _ make it on time!”

 

You merely waved their comment off and left to get dressed and they went to raid your pantry for anything sweet.

 

Out of all the uniforms you had been assigned before, you rather liked the designated sentry uniform; sturdy boots, blue cargo pants, black shirt, steel chest plate, light purple poncho, and a yellow waist sash. A loose outfit good for walking and fighting with just enough added details to make your status as a mage obvious.

 

“C’mon Integrity! Let’s go,” you called out to them as you slung your satchel over your shoulder and headed out the door,

 

The wind was howling as you stepped outside and your just-brushed hair wasted no time becoming a tangled mess. You sighed in exasperation as you forced your hair out of your mouth and heard Integrity snicker beside you.

 

“It seems like you’re in a rather-”

 

“Integrity, if you even think of saying ‘hairy situation’ I am going to scream.”

 

“-tricky situation!”

 

You wanted to glare at them but all you could was snicker and shake your head. The two of you continued on your way to the mountain looming in the distance, the setting sun and darkening clouds giving it an ominous look. A part of you wondered if it was the setting sun that made Mt. Ebott so foreboding or if it was the history linked to it.

 

It had to be the history. Trapped just blow were countless generations of monsters- monsters that humans, in their selfish greed, had destroyed and imprisoned. And only now, over a millennia later, were humans trying to rectify their mistakes and free those trapped below. That thought alone only filled you with a sense of Justice.

 

“They’re almost out, you know,” you murmured as you neared the mountain path the would lead you to the Mage outpost. “Only one soul remains unclaimed…”

 

“If they have claimed any of them to begin with, that is. Based on the ancient texts, I would be surprised if they did.”

 

“Hopelessness can make you… Do drastic things,” you sighed.

 

You arrived at the base of the mage outpost within minutes, the sun had just disappeared behind the horizon though the wind hadn’t settled down in the slightest. A tall and imposing gate rested just ahead of you, guarded by several sentries who were awaiting dismissal. Rows upon rows of enchanted torches lined the path, starting from in front of the mountain and leading up to the barrier itself. 

 

Standing to the side of the gate, were the rest of your teammates.

 

Perseverance- the team leader- was busy talking to one of the apprentice guards, a patient smile adorning her face as she answered his questions. Bravery- the second- sat on a rather large rock, sharp eyes narrowed and glaring at one of the guards who leaned a little too close to their superior. Kindness- the medic- was busy with her nose in a book, hand absently rubbing at her plump belly. Patience- the primary defense- was leaning against her, arm wrapped around her stomach protectively as he napped on her shoulder. Determination- the primary offense- seemed to be deep in meditation, sitting up straight and breathing slow.

 

Her little family.

 

“Well look who actually showed up on time!” You wince as you hear Perseverance’s amused shout and suddenly felt the eyes of all your teammates. “Must be a damn miracle!”

 

“You guys act as if we’re always late,” you whined,

 

“You  _ are _ always late Justice,” Bravery said dryly. You huffed and left it alone- there was no point in arguing with them when they were right.

 

“We only tease you because we love you,” Kindness reassured you as she stood up with Patience’s support.

 

“And we would love you even more if this became a common occurrence,” Patience snickered, ignoring Kindness’ gentle scolding.

 

The loud chime of a bell caught off any response you could give and you turned to see several guards walk down the mountain trail and the rest leave their positions around the gate. They wished you a good luck as they passed, their movements slow and their eyes heavy. Day duty was always hard for a sentry; it was either too hot or too humid and the hiking was unusually harsh compared to the night.

 

“Okay team, listen up!” Perseverance called out and you hurried to meet her. “Like usual, we will be splitting into two shifts. Patience, Bravery, and I will take the first patrol while Integrity, Kindness, Determination, and Justice take shift guard shift. Justice, you shall be the team leader and will be in charge of the gate. We will change at half-shift and continue until dawn. Understood?”

 

“Yes, Perseverance,” you echoed and with a nod, you split into your teams. 

 

Determination and Integrity took a position on either side of out the outside gate while Kindness took the watchtower and you went above the gate. Though you didn’t have as clear as a view as Kindness, you could still see clear to the beginning of the mountain and that was enough to make sure no one tried to sneak in. For one reason or another, people seemed to be drawn to the mountain.

 

Maybe it was the magic in the mountain or perhaps it one of the many ridiculous rumors that drew them in. You had learned early on that there were many rumors regarding the mountain, each one more ridiculous than the next. 

 

After all, if mages were guarding a mountain they must either be guarding something illegal or dangerous! Maybe there was a secret base residing in the forests where they had meetings to plot humanity's destruction. Or maybe a dragon was hiding its riches at the top and the mages were there to keep it docile! 

 

And magic… Magic could be a compelling force- especially to children- who did not know how to resist its temptation. The ancient Keeper of Justice had made her spell to be like that for a reason and it was just another part in her grand design. With such easy prey as children, the monsters should have had little trouble obtaining seven souls and breaking free.

 

Cruel? Of course. Necessary? Perhaps.

 

Though almost every mage wanted monsters free, they did not want any more children to die to accomplish said goal. So they dedicated their time to guarding the entrance of the mountain and to finding a way to break the barrier with either a carefully crafted spell or some sort of science. 

 

Though nothing had turned up, you still hoped. 

 

You had to.

 

A loud roar of thunder suddenly echoed from above and you jumped in shock. You had been so consumed in your thoughts that you had hardly noticed that the storm around you had started to get worse. Moments after your realization, it started to sprinkle.

 

Within the hour, it was raining.

 

Three hours later it was pouring.

 

As you stood under of the archway of the makeshift rampart, you found yourself soaked to the bone. You shivered uncomfortably in your soaked clothes and battled to keep your teeth from chattering. By the small fires you spotted from Determination and Integrity, you guessed that they weren’t faring any better. Kindness, in her watchtower, was probably making out better than any of you. The watchtower was protected and warm so she would have to walk down to even feel the cold.

 

While you weren’t really worried about being cold or wet, you were worried about walking up the mountain when flooded. The mountain was dangerous under normal circumstances but when it rained? It was perilous. Rocks even the slightest bit loose could easily crumble beneath one’s feet and the flooded ravines had currents so strong that even the toughest of people could be swept away. 

 

_ ‘Maybe Perseverance will cancel the second patrol,’  _ you hoped but as soon as you thought that, you felt a sudden flare of Perseverance’s magic. She was alerting all of you to get ready to trade positions. 

 

_ ‘Damn.’ _

 

A sigh left your lips before you opened up the gate to allow for Integrity and Determination to pass through and you quickly shut it once they were safe. Looking up to Kindness, you motioned for her to stay put. It would do no good for Kindness to risk getting sick with that baby on the way.

 

Just as you made your way down the rampart and to the ground, you saw Perseverance and her team pass the corner. All three of them were soaked to the bone and you could already hear Bravery’s annoyed grunts. Mud coated all of their clothes but Patience was soaked in a thick layer of mud on the right side of his body. More than likely, the clumsy mage tripped and did it to himself.

 

“The mountain is completely flooded,” Perseverance announced as you stood in front of your small trio. “You will need to take a few of the hidden routes if you want to make it to the barrier in one piece.”

 

“Wouldn’t it just be best to call off the second patrol?” Integrity asked grumpily, trying and failing to wring their hair out. 

 

“Normally? Yes, but I… I have an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach,” Perseverance shook her head with a frown. “Something tells me we cannot afford to skip a patrol this night.”

 

“Is there movement at the barrier?” You asked, hopeful.

 

“No, the barrier is normal as always,” you tried not to make your disappointment obvious. “It’s just… I just have a feeling.”

 

“If you think it is best for us to continue, we will not question it,” Determination spoke up and you nodded your head in agreement.

 

“Then you best get to it,” Bravery said gruffly. “The second gate is unlocked so make sure it is secured behind you. I take it Kindness is still in the watchtower?” You nodded your head. “Best to keep it that way. The last thing we need is a sick medic.”

 

They bid you a good luck before you turned and began the long trek up the mountain. The rain continued to pour as you waded through the flooded trail, mud coating your boots and splattering up your pants and to your poncho. Every time you stood still for longer than a few seconds, you felt yourself sink into the mud and yanking your foot up only managed to send another splatter of mud up your bare skin.

 

It didn’t take long for you to reach the second gate and once Determination and Integrity were safe on the other side, you secured it with a spell. Once you were satisfied, you turned and ushered them back up the mountain trail. 

 

Despite the mountain trail being completely uphill, the dirt paths were completely flooded and you could barely see the approaching stream through the thick layer of rain. As soon as you took a step in the stream, you saw Determination slip and you just barely managed to catch him before he was completely submerged in the dirty water. He spat out a mouthful of muddy liquid as he regained his bearings and groaned at the thin layer of mud coating the left side of his body.

 

“At this rate, I don’t know if we’re going to be able to make it back down,” you muttered as you helped Determination pass through the stream. “We’re likely to slip down the mountain…”

 

Integrity merely grunted their agreement before pushing forward so they were in the lead with Determination in the middle and you behind. You kept an eye on Determination as you walked, noticing his slight limp and promising to tell Perseverance as soon as you (hopefully) made it back down. Knowing him, he wouldn’t say anything until it was too late.

 

You risked a quick glance around the forest and as soon as you did, a bolt of lightning lit your surroundings and for a split second, you could see everything perfectly. And, at the center of your vision, was a dark outline of what could only be a child. You immediately froze, thoughts racing to the child you had seen in your dreams.

 

But this couldn’t be them, you rationalized. That… That was a dream and this is  _ real.  _ Decides, no child would be able to make it so high in this storm let alone make it on the premises. Both gates were locked tightly and your teammates wouldn’t allow for anyone to get into the mountain- especially a kid. It had just been a figment of your overactive imagination- just leftover fear from that day’s nightmare.

 

It had to be.

 

Whatever it was, you decided to ignore it. Looking back up, you saw that your teammates were already quite far ahead of you and you carefully made your way to them. They didn’t seem to notice your absence and you were able to regain your position without any questions. 

 

An hour passed before you made it to the halfway point of the mountain and you let your little team take a short break from the rain under a small covered bench.

 

Integrity sighed as they were freed from the rain and they stood off to the side as they wrung their hair out. Determination took a seat at the bench and went to examine his ankle, gently pressing around the tender area. You stood off to the side, looking down the small cliff and looking down at the destruction the rain was causing. A maintenance team was definitely going to have to be called down to fix everything. 

 

If it stopped raining, that is.

 

Just as you turned to join your teammates, another flash of lightning lit the world in light and you once again spotted the tiny figure of a child. But this time you could just barely make out their features. They were too small to be any older than eight with brown hair, tanned skin, and almost  _ glowing _ red eyes.

 

Your heart stopped.

 

“Justice, if you don’t get away from that edge you’re going to slip,” Integrity shouted and you jumped, startled.

 

You whirled around to tell them of your discovery but as soon as you moved, you felt the ground crumble under you. A shriek left your lips as the ground disappeared from under you and you were suddenly thrown down the cliff. You tried to sink your fingers into something- anything- but all you felt was mud and your fingers easily slipped through. 

 

Your body twisted and tumbled, rolling over rocks, shrubs, and even small ledges all the while you tried to curl your body as tightly as you could. The wind had been knocked out of you and you could barely breathe, body screaming in pain and lungs begging for air. You couldn’t even tell when you came to a stop, just that it was suddenly easier to breathe and that your ankle was throbbing painfully.

 

A groan left your lips as you pushed yourself into a sitting position, whimpering as your body screamed its protest.

 

“JUSTICE!” You heard the faint shout of your name and you looked up to see if you could spot your teammates but it was too dark to see anything.

 

“I’m okay!” You tried to shout but it just came out as a squeak. They went silent after your attempt and you wondered if they would be able to find you in the darkness of the Mt. Ebott’s forests. Sending out a pulse of magic was too dangerous; your body needed all the magic it could too keep your body warm and mend your wounds. Even if they did find you, you didn’t think you would make it down the mountain on your own. Your ankle, though not broken, was definitely sprained badly and you couldn’t imagine trying to wade through streams.

 

“Well… I can’t stay here,” you muttered to yourself. The small wash you had landed in was slowly growing in height, the water up to your knees as you sat. You were shivering pitifully and you could already feel the sting on your cold cheeks and numb fingers.

 

You had to get up.

 

You cried out as you pushed yourself to your feet, a burning pain racing from your ankle to your thigh. Yep, your ankle was definitely at the edge of being broken. The first step was almost your last as your leg gave out from under you and if you hadn’t caught yourself on a tree, you would have tumbled back into the water.

 

_ ‘I can do this… I just need to make it to the trail,’ _ you thought to yourself as you pushed forward. Every step you took felt like another dragger being drilled through your foot and it was hard to keep the quiet whimpers from leaving your lips. A part of you wanted to give up and each time that they crossed your mind, you scolded yourself.  _ ‘I am a Justice and a Justice doesn’t give up after a little pain!’ _

 

So, you continued forward with loud thunder roaring overhead and cold rain pelting your skin harshly. There was no light to guide your path and you had no idea where you were going, just that you were going as straight as you could. No matter how far you walked, you couldn’t spot the light of any of the torches and you knew you were getting nowhere.

 

As much as you wanted to find the trail, something told you that that wasn’t going to happen while it was dark. You needed to find some sort of shelter to stay in for the night and simply wait for either your teammates to find you or to leave in the morning. Another flash of lightning greeted you and again, in the distance, you spotted the silhouette of the child.

 

It looked like they were… Grinning?

 

“W-wait!” You shouted when you saw the child take off as the lightning faded away. Cursing under your breath, you hobbled after them and desperately tried to ignore the pain racing up your leg. Even though the child terrified you, the dream was just a dream and this kid needed help out of this maze! If a child was lost in these woods, then they were more important than your safety- they had to be.

 

As you stumbled after them, you found that you were slowly becoming numb to the pain and it only made you go faster. The rain was pounding now, large droplets snapping against your skin like little rocks and every few seconds, lightning lit the forest and you could see where the child was racing off to. They were going deep into the forest and into the darkest parts that you had only explored once or twice.

 

But you continued to chase after them- you couldn’t let them get away! But with every step you took, your body screamed for rest. While your body might have went numb to your wounds, it couldn’t numb exhaustion and you were slowly getting slower and slower. Just when you felt you were going to give out, you saw the child one last time.

 

In a flash of brilliant purple light, you saw the child slip between two thin rocks and disappear from sight. You didn’t hesitate in following them and you were shocked to find that the two rocks let to a cave. A cave! There wasn’t a cave in any of the maps you had of the area or in any of the maps produced in the last thousand years.

 

Somehow, whether it be by luck or curse, this cave had never been discovered. But how did the child know where to go? This question teased your brain but you pushed it aside and squeezed your body through, thanking the gods that you were just small enough to slip through. It was a very tight squeeze, the walls brushed your body on either side and you had to walk through it sideways. The cave was even darker than it was outside and you cursed as you realized what you had to do.

 

You called your soul to you and watched as the area was lit with a bright yellow light. Your soul floated happily above you and you gently cupped it in your hands as you wiggled forward, making sure to protect it as best as you could. Having your soul exposed to the world was dangerous as could be and having it out when you couldn’t see where you were going was only asking for something to happen.

 

You had been walking for a few minutes when you spotted something that made your heart drop and your blood run cold. Along the walls of the cave were deep and ragged scratches along with old splattered blood. Reaching up, you gently traced the scratches and grimaced at the feeling of dread that set in your belly. Though it was undoubtedly a century old, you didn’t want to find whoever left those bloodstains.

 

Against your better judgment, you continued forward and finally saw what you thought to be light. A frown marred your lips and you reluctantly let your soul return as you continued to the light. The closer you got, the larger the cave walls seemed to get and the more breathing space you received. Your shoulders soon didn’t brush against the walls and you felt as if you could breathe freely. But as soon as you felt that blessing, you froze.

 

The room ahead of you was bathed in moonlight. With the utmost hesitance, you edged yourself forward and walked into the room. This room was shaped in a perfect circle with vibrant green grass coating the ground along with wildflowers and small, winding trees. Even the walls seemed to make a perfect circular dome with a small circular opening at the top which allowed for moonlight to seep through.

 

There was no trace of rain.

 

No rain, despite how bad it was pouring, managed to leak through. The moon had been hidden in the clouds but now, somehow, it was shining freely.  _ ‘That couldn’t be possible’ _ , you told yourself,  _ ‘there was no way that storm had disappeared in only ten minutes! Something had to be going on- some kind of magic? But what mage would do this?’ _

 

It was only then that you noticed the huge hole in the center of the wave. A large, circular cavern laid in the center of the room, dark and seemingly never-ending.

 

The child was nowhere in sight.

 

“Shit,” you muttered as you wobbled over to the cavern, praying that the kid hadn't fallen over the edge. Poking your head over the side, you saw nothing but darkness- no sign of the kid or any form of life. 

 

There was no other place the could kid have gone. You were almost positive that there hadn’t been any other rooms to slip into so they had to have made it to this room. They had to have fallen down.

 

You needed to get back and alert Perseverance of what you found. But just as you started to stand, you felt another rumble from beneath you. Your eyes widened and you tried to scramble away but you weren’t fast enough. Just like before, you felt the ground give way from beneath you and soon you felt nothing.

 

You were dropping, dropping, dropping further and further away from the surface.

 

You couldn’t even shout or scream as your eyes widened and your soul cried out in fear. You were falling and falling and falling and falling, further and further down.

 

Falling.

  
Falling.

 

Falling.

 

_ Thump! _

 

And the world was black.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaaand you have fallen down!
> 
> Hope everyone has enjoyed the chapter; it was a long one. It was a bit of an information dump (as will be the next one) but I need to get all the basic info out so everything makes sense.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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